News by Subject Chemistry & Physics

Experts say scientific understanding of deep hydrocarbons has been transformed, with new insights gained into the sources of energy that could have catalyzed and nurtured Earth's earliest forms of life. Abiotic hydrocarbons have been a major focus of the Deep Carbon Observatory program -- a 10-year exploration of Earth's innermost secrets, concluding in October.

Lithium-ion batteries are expected to have a global market value of $47 billion by 2023, but their use in heavy-duty applications such as electric vehicles is limited due to factors such as lengthy charge and discharge cycles. UVA Engineering researchers working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are examining how the lithium moves in battery electrodes, important in designing batteries that charge and discharge faster.

Researchers from the UK and Spain have identified an eco-friendly solid that could replace the inefficient and polluting gases used in most refrigerators and air conditioners.

UC San Diego researchers have improved their recycling process that regenerates degraded cathodes from spent lithium-ion batteries. The new process is safer and uses less energy than their previous method in restoring cathodes to their original capacity and cycle performance.

The benefits of self-driving cars will likely induce vehicle owners to drive more, and those extra miles could partially or completely offset the potential energy-saving benefits that automation may provide, according to a new University of Michigan study.

Rising demand for solar panels is having a major effect on the worldwide price of silver, which could lead to solar panel production costs becoming far higher in the future, new research from the University of Kent has demonstrated.